Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad today said there was no way for the commission other than holding the general election on January 5, 2014 for continuation of constitutional consistency in the country.

“As the political parties could not reach any consensus it became a challenge for the EC to hold the election. There was no way other than holding the election to ensure the constitutional consistency,” reports Bangla daily Prothom Alo quoting Rakibuddin as saying.

The outgoing CEC was talking to reporters on his last day of office at the conference room of EC Media Centre at Agargaon in Dhaka, reports our correspondent covering the press conference.

The other four election commissioners -- Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Mohammad Abu Hafiz, Brigadier General Md Zabed Ali (retd) and Md Shah Nawaz -- were also present at the briefing.

Earlier on February 6, President Abdul Hamid appointed a batch of new election commissioners who will organise and oversee the next parliamentary election.

Former secretary KM Nurul Huda has been chosen to lead the next Election Commission while the other four members of his team are: Mahbub Talukder, former additional secretary; Md Rafiqul Islam, ex-secretary; Begum Kabita Khanam, former district and sessions judge; and Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.